Hydrogen gas has been widely used by industry, space activities, and the military. The desire to produce hydrogen for use to thereby eliminate cumbersome tanks or cryogenic vessels has been investigated.
The on-site generation of H.sub.2 to provide a buoyant gas for military balloons, airships, and for raising objects from the ocean floor has been well documented. The on-site generation of H.sub.2 from ammonia, NH.sub.3, for fuel cells has also been thoroughly investigated and demonstrated.
Hydrazine, N.sub.2 H.sub.4, and various N.sub.2 H.sub.4 blends have been used as liquid propellants for gas generators, and this technology has also been thoroughly investigated.
Solid compositions containing hydrogen have been decomposed by a controlled heating method to yield pure hydrogen useful in chemical lasers and as an energy source. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,940,474 issued to Chester W. Huskins and Roy E. Patrick is directed to a method of generating hydrogen gas of high purity as required for chemical laser use.
Hydrogen or deuterium gas when employed in a HF or DF laser system generally employs a diluent gas such as helium or nitrogen to adjust either or both the temperature and concentration of the gases, one of which is activated fluorine atoms. Both purity and proper molecular weights of the species of other gaseous products present in the laser system are required to be in the proper range for high laser output and efficiency of operation.
Advantageous would be a method for producing hydrogen or deuterium and a diluent gas from a common source so that high purity, ammonia free hydrogen or deuterium gas and diluent gas could be made available for immediate use in chemical laser operations in large quantities and under high pressure.
Therefore, an object of this invention is to provide a method of producing high purity, ammonia free hydrogen or deuterium gas and a diluent gas, nitrogen, which can be immediately used in a HF or DF laser system.
A further object of this invention is to provide a method for producing hydrogen or deuterium gas as required for mobile fuel cells.